Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1887-10-30
CREEDMOOR'S DECAY.
NO LONGER THE MOST FAMOUS RIFLE
RANGE IN THE COUNTRY.
Striking Changes Prom the Times When Great Con-
tests Agitatsd Allan 0ld-Fims RiAsman
Tells Why This Blight Has
Fallen Upon It
81. Pala Globe.

of the place was enough to arouse the en-
thusiasm of every rifeman in America,
and set trigger-fngers twitchiDg from one
end of the land to the other That it ia
different to-day is certainly not owing to
any lack of interest in the sport, nor to any
physical CONFUSION that has spoiled the
moor tor shooting over, nor to the rise in
popularity of rival range. 1t stands to-
day unrivaled as a natural shooting place,
admirably adapted in nearly every partic-
ular for the practice of a scientific as well
as useful and fascinating sport. Its loca-
ton within a few miles of this city
is advantageous, in that it gives the
opportunity for the assembling Of immense
crowds to witness the contests and thus
supply the sinews of war to the assOcia-
ton, which has to take the financial risks
of the meetings. But of late the public
and most Tifemen have deserted the place,
and where 10000 spectators used to as
semble to watch the firing, hardly more
than per cent of this number can be seen
on the grounds on the days of the most i'm
portant contest. And if it were not for
the enforced attendance of the National
guard, the members of which are compell-
ed by law to practice at CreedmoOr, there
would not be present more than l per
cent. OF the riheman who used to battle
iron targets with hot lead from sunrise till
| dark.
The father Of Creedmor was Col. Henry
/ Ek,n- Nam Vnrly h.
talked and wrote about rifle shooting until
he made Others as enthusiastic as himself,
and finally brought about the organization
of club and the establishment OF a range
on Long Island. On 4 farm near what is
known rs Queens was a level piece OF
ground or moor Of seventy acres, admirably
adapted to the purpose, and this WAS
bought, mainly with money given by the
State of New York. Butts were built and
pits dug tor markers. The owner OF the
farm was "A Mr.. Greed, and the rihemen
named their range Tor him, Creed
moor The National Rifle Association
was formed in November, 1871,
and the opening match was shot
on the 2lst of June, 1873. The first reg
ular annual competition was held from
October ) to October II, 1873 and the
prizes were presented ut the Safe arsenal
on the l5Ih of the same month. J. D.
Bush Won the first 200.yard Offhand mill
tary rifle match with a score of sixteen
ont OF possible twenty, the bulls-eye
then counting only four. The second
match at 200 yards with any rifle was won
by John Hitler, who made fifteen points
in five shots, possible twenty. In these
days it takes a clean score at 200 yards to
win. The 18th of September, 1874. the
first Irish team arrived, and the country
went wild over long range shooting. The
10th OF May, in that year, J. s. COnlin
had made the first full score OF 500 yards
Until 1875 the targets had square bulls
eyes, but in that year the circular Creed
moor target was introduced
For few years rifle shooting was more
popular than base ball. Tue long range
men developed unsupported possibilities of
the fayorite American weapon, and great
Improvements were made in rifle sights,
ammunition and paraphernalia of the range.
The international contests were watched
with the keenest interest on both sides OF
the ocean, and the scores and diagrams of
targets were sent by telegraph to all
the great newspapers, and published
as the biggest news matter of
the day. Teams from England, Scot
land aud Ireland came over here to
shoot at Creedmoor, hut they do not come
any more. The Palma prize, a SIC, 900
trophy made in 1876, to be contested for
in International contests, lies in Tiffany's
vault, az useless and meaningless rs the
discarded bottom of wornOut wash boil
En- Beyond the opportunities for recrea-
ton OF desirable character offered by
CreedmOor, it has produced many useful
results. There is no instinct more mark
eddy progressive than that of the true
sportsman He practices his favOrite
pastime purely for the love of it, and is
alive to every suggestion for
its improvement. The healthy
rivalry OF sport is a con
slant incentive 10 doing the best possible,
and 10 seek out the most feasible, methods
OF attaining the hest individual results. In
rifle shooting this tendency leads to the
improvement Of everything connected with
firing a gun, and in this way the govern
ment itself Teaps an invaluable advantage;
for not only are the defects of existing guns
plainly shown, bat the demands of expert
sports have to be met by manufacturers,
aud better weapons are therefore made
available for the government i'll case of
need. Creedmoor has been remarkably
productive in matters OF this kind. For
instance, in the beginning OF the history
OF the range there was State regulation
that in military only State ammuni-
ton should he used, and the national
guard arsenals were filled with cartridges
hit only to be exploded on the Fourth of
July. A militiaman who wanted to use
his rifle as an effective weapon and loaded
his own shells with good powder was dis
qualified and couTtmartialed But finally
it became customary for riilemen to load
their shells, and they made such improve
ments tLat manufacturers were forced to
learn from them and turn out cartridges
lit to be tired. The first field glass used
on the range 10 watch the effect of shots
ELECTED howl Of denunCiatiou, and the
man who introduced il got V.iumeS Of
abuse. Now there is telescope ~ each
firing point. These ani many similar im-
prOyementS had to be recognized and adopt
ed, because che crack shots who were not
restricted AS were the military marksmen
in the use of materials, showed invariably
50 much better scores that the militiamen
could not compare with them and it was
evident beyond argument that most Of the
better results were due TO better materials
and methods.
To the general public the interest in
Creedmoor was due perhaps largely TO the
picturesque features of the contests. 1t
was a striking novelty to see men shooting
at a nearly invisible target, and in so do
ing, getting into all kinds of awkward,
uncouth attitudes. The men who made
bulls eye ut 1000 yards received as much
credit for his effort on account oflying fiat
on his stomach as he did for his faultless
aim. And on the other hand, he who
missed at the ssme distance had sympathy
mixed may be with condemnation because
he lay on his back and rested the muzzle
of his gun on his toes. But after few
contests the novety of the method was of
not greater interest than the sport itself,
| for naOOle SOOn familiari7ad tbaros.lras